Technology Practices for Instructional Improvement – EDUC 630
CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 12/12/2022
Course Description
This course has students research and engage best practices in educational technology usage for the purposes of inclusion in instructional practice for student learning and for assessment of student achievement as a result of instruction. Students practice and demonstrate competency in using productivity tools for professional and pedagogical practice. Further, students will develop means of effectively using technologies for communication and collaboration to improve teaching and learning.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
Technology usage has been focused on by society at large and educational institutions in particular (higher learning and those in the field) as a solution to perceived problems and deficits in learning. With the advent of computer-mediated communication systems such as the Internet, the pace at which education is expected to adopt technology both as a target of curriculum and as a pedagogical approach to learning has increased. It is vital that educators at all levels understand the role technology plays in the essentialist expectation of educational practice (as a curricular goal), the role technology plays in the actual practice of teaching and learning as an agent of access, and the role technology plays in the assistance in the day-to-day functioning in the profession of education.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (5)
The student will complete five (5) video Discussions throughout the course. Each discussion consists of a thread and two replies. The thread is the student’s response to the instructor’s prompt and the replies are the student’s response to another student’s thread. Both the thread and replies should be at least two substantial paragraphs. The thread must be a video post, and the replies can be either a video or written replies. (Outcomes: A, B, C, D)
Blog Site
The student will design a personal homepage and browse the homepages of other students in the course. This assignment must be completed no later than Sunday evening of Module 1 and is worth 25 points. The homepage serves as the host for student blog entries. If the student has created a blog for a different EDUC course, they may continue to use their blog for the EDUC 630 course. They will need to create a separate page (tab) for the EDUC 630 course content. (Outcomes: A, C, D)
Self-Assessment
Each student will conduct a personal self-assessment regarding their ability to include technology into their classroom instruction. Once they have assessed areas which need development, they will go to the Edutopia link provided and locate three articles that address those areas. A brief summary of each article will be written and submitted. (Outcomes B, D)
Personal Philosophy Paper
Each student will write a 2-3 page personal philosophy paper regarding the use of technology in education. The student will need to include biblical support as well as researched-based references in their paper. (Outcomes: B, D)
Professional Development Presentation
The student will create a brief overview of the ISTE website. The student will identify helpful resources for professional development as well as a short synopsis of the previous year’s ISTE conference. (Outcomes: B,C)
Professional Interview
The student will use personal interview and research to determine how the educator selects appropriate technology for any given objective. The student will then compile the research in an Excel or Word document. Then, the student will use this data to create their own checklist for which they could validate the selection of technology for a given lesson. (Outcomes: A)
Technology Lesson Demonstration
The student will select a lesson in which they would like to add a current technology component. The technology tool must have been developed within the last 5 years. Then, they will develop a lesson that integrates the selected technology and provide a brief video recording on the lesson being taught with the new technology component. (Outcomes: A, B, C, D)
Web-Based Assessment Sample
The student will develop a formative or summative sample using a current technology tool that is less familiar to them. The technology tool must have been developed within the last 5 years. They will then video record a class demonstration in which they show their students their sample artifact. The students will be expected to use the model provided by the teacher to create their own web-based assessment of the lesson material. (Outcomes: A, B, C, D)
Technology Trends Infographic
The student will develop an infographic describing the future of technology in the classroom. The infographic will include various social media platforms as well as VR, AR, and AI potentials. (Outcomes: B, C, D)
